I’m the Boss

(A Comparison between the play “The Taming of the Shrew” by: William Shakespeare, and “The Christmas Card” by: Joany Kane.

In the Christmas Card there is a U.S soldier named Cody Cullen. He gets a Christmas card while he is in the military that eventually changes his life. There was information in the Christmas card that caused him to go visit this little town after he took some time off from the military that caused him to meet the women who wrote the card. Her parents eventually try to hook the two of them up. In the taming of the shrew baptista who is the father of two daughters. He pretty much controls the girls “love” life. Baptista is trying to determine who will be applicable to marry his younger daughter Bianca after he finds someone to marry his eldest daughter Katherine. In this text and film, both parents want secure futures for their children. However, in the film The Christmas Card, the parents are more subtle about how they plot to get their daughter the guy that they would prefer, contrary to the play The Taming of The Shrew because Baptista completely dictates who his daughters will be with, and for his own reasons. This shows how in society parents(especially dads) want the best for their kids and will do whatever they see fit in their kids best interest.

“Tis deeds must win the prize, and he of both that can assure my daughter greatest dower shall have my Bianca’s love. Say Signior Gremio what can you assure her?” (Act II Scene I)

In this quote Baptista is talking to, the two main suitors for Bianca, Gremio and Tranio as Luciento. He is telling the two men to stop arguing about who will get, his daughter, Bianca. So he tells them that he will make it like a contest and whoever can assure, his daughter, Bianca the greatest dower shall win her. So he’s saying whoever has more to offer will get my daughter. The dad in the movie is subtly trying to persuade Cody to talk to his daughter and vice versa.Screen_Shot_2011-12-01_at_8.28.28_PM.png
In this picture the Faith’s dad is introducing her to Cody Cullen. He likes Cody and thinks that he would be good for his daughter, but keeps that part to himself. When he introduces, his daughter, Faith to Cody he says “ Hey Cody this is my somewhat attractive daughter Faith”. This indicates that he is trying to get them together. In “The Taming of the Shrew” Baptista pretty much told Katherine that she would be marrying Petruchio and she really didn’t have any choice. So in the play there is total parental control, but in the movie it’s more like subtle and less obvious influence from the parent.

” Not in my house, Luciento, for you know pitchers hae ears, and I have many servants. Besides, old Gremio is heark’ning still, and happily we might be interrupted.” (Act IV Scene 4 52-55)

In this quote Baptista is talking to Luciento about finishing the details and ironing out all of the details of the marriage. He tells Luciento that it’d be a better idea for them to discuss that at Lucientos house rather than his because Gremio was at his house. He believes that Gremio would love to interrupt their “meeting”. In the movie the uncle actually tries to hook the two of them up and kind of finalize their relationship.

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In these series of pictures the uncle goes over to a lady at the party, and bribes her. He wants her to go dance with Faith’s current bf. He doesn’t like him and neither does the father. So after she gets Faith by herself he goes over to Cody and says “You snooze you lose”. Indicating that he helped him, and that he doesn’t want him to not get Faith. So Cody goes and dances with Faith and they begin to talk. This compares back to “The Taming of the Shrew” because when Tranio as Luciento is talking to Baptista he is trying to convince him that he is the best man for Bianca, and that he has the best possible offer.

The father and the uncle ends up getting what they want in the end. At the end Faith and her boyfriend break up and her and Cody get together. In the “Taming of the Shrew” Baptista gets what he wants which is to hae both of his daughters married and in order to a man he’s is comfortable with. So this shows that in reality an audience would like to see a story with a happy ending, and the parents to come out victorious.




After you have the intro, it's up to you how you organize your film stills and quotes. I chose to alternate between the play and the movie, starting off with the play. Put the play quotes in BIG FONT to give the reader something to latch on to. And remember to give enough CONTEXT in your captions for each quote and picture, or else the reader will be confused!

Here are sample formats you can use. For the play, start with a direct quote in a bigger font:


"Quote from Play"

(Act x, Scene x, line numbers)

A few sentences go after quote, including sufficient CONTEXT that tells the reader what's going on in "Shrew," and also a bit of ANALYSIS linking to your thesis.

You then TRANSITION into your comparative scene from a movie. Include a transition sentence and then put in the screen shot:


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After the screen shot, you need to do the same thing that you did for the quote from "Shrew" -- sufficient context that describes what's happening in that scene, and analysis that connects back to your thesis (and states what the comparison and/or contrast is to "Shrew.)


Then, you need a second (and possibly a third) set of comparisons: play, movie. Play, movie. Don't forget to use a larger font!


Finally, you need your CONCLUSION. This paragraph should specifically mention BOTH the play and the movie, and touch on the central question of the assignment:What do these portrayals show us about society's attitudes towards courtship/dating?